Maharashtra: Guidelines issued for reopening of schools in rural, urban areas

Maharashtra health department has issued guidelines for reopening of schools for physical classes, from December 1 onwards. The schools in the state are being reopened for Classes 1 to 4 in rural areas and for Classes 1 to 7 in urban areas. In-person classes in primary schools of the state have remained closed since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Observing COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, vaccination of teachers and school staff are among the protocols that have to be followed in schools, according to the Maharashtra health department’s guidelines.

Schools have been directed to work in accordance with the below-mentioned points –

• COVID-19 appropriate behaviour, like maintaining a distance of six feet, mandatory wearing of face masks and washing hands must be followed while opening schools
• Students should be provided information on washing hands, covering mouth and nose with a handkerchief or tissue while sneezing and coughing
• Schools in containment zones should not be opened
• Teachers and students from containment zones should not be allowed to come to school
• Schools should be cleaned and surfaces that come in regular contact should be wiped with sodium hypochlorite
• Schools that were used as quarantine centers should be cleaned and sanitised
• Biometric attendance should be avoided and the use of swimming pools has been prohibited
• COVID-19 appropriate protocol must be followed while using the gymnasium
• Adequate arrangements should be made to wash hands, keeping into consideration the number of students and teachers. Any initiative which will lead to crowding should be avoided
• Adequate distance should be maintained between students while they are standing in queues, in the playground and at assembly points by making markings. Similar arrangements should be made in the library
• Special care should be taken of the teaching and administrative staff with co-morbidity and other serious illnesses
• Schools must maintain an adequate stock of face masks, hand sanitiser and sodium hypochlorite solution
• Those without any COVID-19 symptoms should be permitted in classrooms
• Schools should also display information about COVID-19
• School buses/vehicles plying students should not be crowded and must be cleaned
• Students with symptoms should not be treated with any kind of discrimination and their parents should be contacted immediately. In the meantime, the students should be made to sit in a separate room with a mask on
• If a student tests positive, then wards sitting/standing behind and in front should be treated as close contacts. A list should be made of teachers and students who came in close contact with the infected student. Such close contact students should be home-quarantined and school, especially toilets, should be sanitised
• Students who came in close contact with the infected students should be tested for COVID-19
• Asymptomatic students should be tested 5 to 10 days after coming in contact with the infected students

The Maharashtra cabinet last Thursday decided to reopen schools for students of Classes 1 to 4 in rural areas and Classes 1 to 7 in urban areas from December 1.

“After discussing the issue with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the cabinet and the paediatric task force, we have decided to reopen schools for Classes 1 to 4 in rural areas and Classes 1 to 7 in urban areas from December 1,” School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad had said in a statement.

News Credit: India TV